Susu Pampanin

Master Percussionist: Susu Pampanin is a world-renowned percussionist specializing in Egyptian Classical and Middle-Eastern styles. She recently took part in a music project with Reda Henkesh of the world-famed Henkesh family - artists from Mohamed Ali Street. The culmination of the project is a double album CD “Reda Henkesh Live with Susu Pampanin.” Release date: Summer Solstice 2021. Please see below for more information on this exciting project.

Susu has cultivated a proficiency and interest in many other genres and styles of world percussion as well. Susu is internationally known for her virtuosity in Arabic drumming and is one of the few female Middle Eastern drummers highly respected by the Arabic professional music community.  She plays several other instruments as well, including the oud and nai. 

Susu is a member of Aswat Ensemble, Aswan Women's Ensemble, the Georges Lammam Ensemble and is a founding member of Pasha Band and Caravan Band.

Full-length feature albums:

Guest appearances & tracks

Susu has recorded Arabic music and percussion with Vince Delgado, Jazayer, Blue Nile, her own Susu and the Cairo Cats Dancing Drums and a solo drum CD Hands of Time. In 2013 she recorded a CD in Egypt, Nostalgia, with the world renowned Safaa Farid Egyptian Band. You can also find Susu on many DVDs as the percussionist for various internationally known belly dance instructors. 

She has also travelled world-wide and worked and recorded with many fusion ensembles, including Wild Mango, Keith Terry and Crosspulse, Stellamara, the Vince Delgado Quintet and most recently recorded with Holly Near. 

Susu teaches regularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as all over the US in specialized workshops. She also has taught and performed at many esteemed events such as the SF Ethnic Dance Festival, Mendocino Middle Eastern Music Camp, Born to Drum Camp, the San Francisco International Arts Festival and the World Drum Festival. You can also find Susu at https://www.susudrummer.com/